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Officials Warn About West Nile As Suspected Infection Tested

 A crane fly sits on a hand.
Matt Nemeth
/
90.5 WESA
An Allegheny County resident is suspected to have contracted West Nile virus.

Pennsylvania officials are warning people to minimize their exposure to mosquitoes as testing is underway to confirm the suspected first case of human West Nile virus infection in the state this year.

The state is checking the case of an Allegheny County resident, sending samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials say recent heavy rains are creating conditions for the spread of West Nile. It's infected more than 150 people in the state over the past six years.

The Department of Environmental Protection says it has found mosquitoes infected with the virus in 51 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.

Limiting skin exposure and the use of insect repellants can help combat the spread of the virus.

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